MailOnline is the most successful English-language newspaper website in the world and one of the most popular news sources in the UK.
Notes from the lesson
Pluralism: a brief introduction
Pluralism: a brief introduction
Pluralists see society as consisting of competing groups and interests, none of them predominant all of the time. Media organizations are seen as enjoying an important degree of autonomy from the state, political parties and institutionalized pressure groups.
A basic symmetry is seen to exist between media institutions and their audiences, since in McQuail's words the 'relationship is generally entered into voluntarily and on apparently equal terms’. Audiences are seen as capable of manipulating the media and as having access to what Halloran calls 'the plural values of society' enabling them to 'conform, accommodate, challenge or reject'. (Gurevitch et al. 1982: 1)
A basic symmetry is seen to exist between media institutions and their audiences, since in McQuail's words the 'relationship is generally entered into voluntarily and on apparently equal terms’. Audiences are seen as capable of manipulating the media and as having access to what Halloran calls 'the plural values of society' enabling them to 'conform, accommodate, challenge or reject'. (Gurevitch et al. 1982: 1)
Curran & Seaton: Power Without Responsibility
Curran and Seaton argue that the media should follow the pluralist model and be shaped by audience demand:
“The free market makes the press a representative institution…newspapers and magazines are to respond to the concerns of their readers if they are to stay in business.”
However, in practice the newspaper industry is dominated by a small number of powerful owners and this influences newspaper coverage and media influence. In short, the free market doesn’t work.
MailOnline: audience-driven news
Curran and Seaton argue audience demand rather than powerful owners should influence news media. But can we trust audience demand?
Original MailOnline editor Martin Clarke said: “We let the readers decide what they’re interested in, that’s why MailOnline is so sticky and why it’s so addictive and why people love it so much.”
The homepage stories are selected by clicks – the most popular stories move to the top of the page. But does this turn news into ‘clickbait infotainment’? Shouldn’t news be about informing the public – not entertaining them?
MailOnline: audience
MailOnline readership key details:
- Average age of 40
- 58% female
- 55% 18-44 year olds
- 68% ABC1
MailOnline: addictive design
MailOnline is designed to encourage readers to stay on the site: the homepage has (virtually) endless scroll, there are thousands of images, embedded social media posts and promotional features linked to the stories.
Celebrity gossip drives traffic to site (often via social media) with clickbait used heavily to initially attract readers. Then, controversial headlines and opinion columns encourage users to comment, share and engage with the site.
The right-hand bar (‘sidebar of shame’) means an endless supply of celebrity gossip available on every page. This creates clickbait within the site itself.
MailOnline close-textual analysis
Go to MailOnline and analyse the stories currently featured:
1) What are the top five stories? Are they examples of soft news or hard news?
- Wannabe pop star, 27, whose girl band toured with Little Mix weeps as she is JAILED for eight months for mowing down and killing cyclist mother-of-three at roundabout #
- Wife's joy as UAE FREES British academic Matthew Hedges from prison after granting him a pardon over spy charge - but claims footage shows him admitting he is an 'MI6 captain'
- Fans criticise BT Sport presenter Jake Humphrey for poorly-timed joke after Rio Ferdinand hinted his wife's death ended his managerial ambitions
- Beckham family's horror as 'notorious drug-dealing traveller gang linked to string of murders become prime suspects' for raid on their £6m Cotswolds mansion
- Four roommates who were ALL feeding their chubby cat reveal the chart they devised to ensure the crafty pet gets just one bowl a day - marked 'was the b*****d fed today?'
2) What celebrity content is featured?
Most news stories contain celebrity content and the news bar to the right of the page mainly advertises celebrity content.
3) What examples of ‘clickbait’ can you find?
3) What examples of ‘clickbait’ can you find?
"Make-up counter millionaires! Friends who met working in Harvey Nichols' beauty department launched an affordable eyelash brand celebs love - and now they're on track to make £5M"
"Now for the Cyber Monday bargains! After a week-long shopping bonanza retailers continue slashing prices on everything from beauty gadgets to laptops - so, will you take the final chance to bag a deal?"
4) To what extent do the stories you have found on MailOnline reflect the values and ideologies of the Daily Mail newspaper?
The representations that they have of particular demographics reflect the typically right-wing, conservative nature of the newspaper. For example, the title of the news story surrounding the refugee who smuggled asylum seekers into the UK has quite a disapproving tone; thus, reinforcing fears that the Daily Mail readers may have surrounding the migrant crisis.
5) Think about audience appeal and gratifications: why is MailOnline the most-read English language newspaper website in the world? How does it keep you on the site?
The homepage for the Daily Mail site scrolls endlessly which is a way to keep audience enticed and on the site as there is a number of news stories to draw them in and choose from. The site is also very easy to control and different columns are easily accessible which is useful for an audience.
2) How does Preston summarise other newspaper websites?
5) Do you see a future for the paper version of the Daily Mail or will it eventually close like the Independent?
Media Magazine MM55: Media, Publics, Protest and Power
1) What are the three overlapping fields that have an influence on the relationship between media and democracy?
3) Fenton argues that news should serve the public and help democracy. Does MailOnline do this?
I think that MailOnline does serve the public but only a certain percentage of the public. The news stories covered and the content generally serves and appeals to an older audience, while the celebrity news seems to be targeted to the same age group, but a different psychographic group (i.e. mainstreamers rather than succeeders). I don't think it helps democracy, because ultimately the Mail Online reflects the same conservative/one sided opinions as The Daily Mail does. It provides an echo chamber for the readers to hear their own beliefs and opinions reiterated and echoed back to them.
4) What is infotainment? Is MailOnline guilty of relying on this kind of content?
Infotainment refers to how some producers combine shallower, corporate journalism associated with the digital age (soft news) with hard news that are often sought out rigorously by journalists. Mail Online is guilty of relying on infotainment, this is shown through the heavy focus on soft news and clickbait on the homepage, as well as throughout the website. Yes, there is hard news like politics etc, but I think that the majority is overwhelmingly clickbait and celebrity/entertainment based.
5) Has the internet empowered audiences or is it still dominated by the major media conglomerates? How does MailOnline fit into this?
I think that the internet has empowered audiences because it provides them with a liminal space where they can voice their opinions freely - e.g. the comments sections and different debates started underneath articles on the MailOnline website. People contributing their ideas allows them to gain an insight into the viewpoints of others, whilst expressing their own. On the other hand, I think that these spaces are created by media conglomerates, meaning that ultimately the internet and these spaces are still restricted by those in power.
Factsheet 182 - Case Study: The Daily Mail (Part 3) Industrial Context
1) What do Curran and Seaton suggest regarding the newspaper industry and society?
Newspapers have to reflect the needs and desires of of the reader in order to maintain circulation and readership.
2) Curran and Seaton acknowledge that media ownership in the UK is dominated by what kind of company?
Media ownership is dominated by large news organisations like BBC News, the Guardian, The Times and The Sun.
3) What does the factsheet suggest regarding newspaper ownership and influence over society?
Newspapers can be used as a form of propaganda which is a tool to influence audiences. They can be used to implement or reinforce ideologies.
4) Why did the Daily Mail invest heavily in developing MailOnline in the 2000s?
They recognised the potential in moving online - enables them to push out more content and grow their audience. This allows them to become a larger business and more financially successful.
5) How does MailOnline reflect the idea of newspapers ‘as conversation’?
Producers provide the content, but the articles shown on the homepage are based on what has a high "click-count." Therefore, these stories are likely to be read by thousands of consumers; thus allowing them to have discussions with each other in the comments section.
6) How many stories and pictures are published on MailOnline?
Approximately 1,000 stories and 10,000 pictures - this reflects the focus on visuals as well as the content itself.
7) How does original MailOnline editor Martin Clarke explain the success of the website?
Martin Clarke views the MailOnline website as successful, because he believes that they cover the 'waterfront'. They cover a range of news stories - from hard news like politics to more mainstream/soft news like celebrity gossip. He believes that this range of content makes the website "sticky" and "engaging" thus making them a successful website.
8) What does it mean when it says readers are in control of digital content?
Clarke constantly edits the news stories displayed on the homepage in order to respond to the number of likes/dislikes on different stories. If a story has become increasingly popular, then this story will be moved to the top of the homepage so it is a representation of audience appeal.
9) How is the priority for stories on the homepage established on MailOnline?
The stories with the most clicks are shown on the homepage - this filters the most relevant stories and immediately shows them to the visitor so that they can automatically see what stories are the most recent/popular/viewed.
10) What is your view of ‘clicks’ driving the news agenda? Should we be worried that readers are now ‘in control of digital content’?
I think that to some extent, it is good that consumers have control over what is shown on the homepage. It plays on the idea of mass communication and the concept of the MailOnline site creating the opportunity for people to have conversations/a say in what is shown. However, we should be worried as to how much control they have. For example, if readers are more concerned with soft news, then this will restrict the amount of information that the reader can get about more important/relevant topics like political updates etc.
Guardian column: So Daily Mail and Mail Online are ‘totally separate’? It depends how you look at it by Peter Preston
Read this Guardian column by Media veteran Peter Preston on a row between the Guardian and the Mail over the controversial MailOnline (ex-) columnist Katie Hopkins. Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Preston suggest that the Daily Mail and MailOnline should be considered to be basically the same publication?
Read this Guardian column by Media veteran Peter Preston on a row between the Guardian and the Mail over the controversial MailOnline (ex-) columnist Katie Hopkins. Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Preston suggest that the Daily Mail and MailOnline should be considered to be basically the same publication?
He states that logically that there is no transition or difference between the two platforms. This is because their ideologies, world views and content is more or less the same - besides some subtle differences such as the layout of the newspaper vs the Mail Online.
2) How does Preston summarise other newspaper websites?
Preston has quite a critical opinion of newspaper websites. He believes that ultimately, newspaper websites will end up as a memory of what the print versions used to be like.
3) How many readers does the online-only Independent now boast?
3) How many readers does the online-only Independent now boast?
19 m readers
4) Do you feel the Daily Mail and MailOnline have a different ‘world view’?
I agree with Preston in saying that ultimately the Daily Mail and MailOnline are pretty much the same publication. Therefore the world-view of both of these publications are the same - they are both (predominantly) conservative, with occasional elements of more central/liberal news (i.e. supporting Meghan Markle as a member of the royal family).4) Do you feel the Daily Mail and MailOnline have a different ‘world view’?
5) Do you see a future for the paper version of the Daily Mail or will it eventually close like the Independent?
I think that the Daily Mail does have a future because older readers will continue to purchase the newspaper, and some people may prefer to have the physical copy. However, I think within the next decade (if not sooner) the Daily Mail - and other print publications - will either shut down completely, or will be made into a completely online newspaper.
Media Magazine MM55: Media, Publics, Protest and Power
1) What are the three overlapping fields that have an influence on the relationship between media and democracy?
- The political field - How much freedom do we have to speak? The power of the government/politics to regulate and restrict what is said/the diversity of voices in the media
- The economic field - commercial influences like ownership, profit and the intensity of market competition
- The journalistic field - what constitutes as news and the ethics of media practice
2) What is ‘churnalism’ and does MailOnline provide examples of this kind of news gathering?
Churnalism - refers to the idea of "cutting and pasting" public relations material or rewrites of content - i.e. the content isn't original.3) Fenton argues that news should serve the public and help democracy. Does MailOnline do this?
4) What is infotainment? Is MailOnline guilty of relying on this kind of content?
Infotainment refers to how some producers combine shallower, corporate journalism associated with the digital age (soft news) with hard news that are often sought out rigorously by journalists. Mail Online is guilty of relying on infotainment, this is shown through the heavy focus on soft news and clickbait on the homepage, as well as throughout the website. Yes, there is hard news like politics etc, but I think that the majority is overwhelmingly clickbait and celebrity/entertainment based.
5) Has the internet empowered audiences or is it still dominated by the major media conglomerates? How does MailOnline fit into this?
I think that the internet has empowered audiences because it provides them with a liminal space where they can voice their opinions freely - e.g. the comments sections and different debates started underneath articles on the MailOnline website. People contributing their ideas allows them to gain an insight into the viewpoints of others, whilst expressing their own. On the other hand, I think that these spaces are created by media conglomerates, meaning that ultimately the internet and these spaces are still restricted by those in power.
Factsheet 182 - Case Study: The Daily Mail (Part 3) Industrial Context
1) What do Curran and Seaton suggest regarding the newspaper industry and society?
2) Curran and Seaton acknowledge that media ownership in the UK is dominated by what kind of company?
Media ownership is dominated by large news organisations like BBC News, the Guardian, The Times and The Sun.
3) What does the factsheet suggest regarding newspaper ownership and influence over society?
Newspapers can be used as a form of propaganda which is a tool to influence audiences. They can be used to implement or reinforce ideologies.
4) Why did the Daily Mail invest heavily in developing MailOnline in the 2000s?
They recognised the potential in moving online - enables them to push out more content and grow their audience. This allows them to become a larger business and more financially successful.
5) How does MailOnline reflect the idea of newspapers ‘as conversation’?
Producers provide the content, but the articles shown on the homepage are based on what has a high "click-count." Therefore, these stories are likely to be read by thousands of consumers; thus allowing them to have discussions with each other in the comments section.
6) How many stories and pictures are published on MailOnline?
Approximately 1,000 stories and 10,000 pictures - this reflects the focus on visuals as well as the content itself.
7) How does original MailOnline editor Martin Clarke explain the success of the website?
Martin Clarke views the MailOnline website as successful, because he believes that they cover the 'waterfront'. They cover a range of news stories - from hard news like politics to more mainstream/soft news like celebrity gossip. He believes that this range of content makes the website "sticky" and "engaging" thus making them a successful website.
8) What does it mean when it says readers are in control of digital content?
Clarke constantly edits the news stories displayed on the homepage in order to respond to the number of likes/dislikes on different stories. If a story has become increasingly popular, then this story will be moved to the top of the homepage so it is a representation of audience appeal.
9) How is the priority for stories on the homepage established on MailOnline?
The stories with the most clicks are shown on the homepage - this filters the most relevant stories and immediately shows them to the visitor so that they can automatically see what stories are the most recent/popular/viewed.
10) What is your view of ‘clicks’ driving the news agenda? Should we be worried that readers are now ‘in control of digital content’?
I think that to some extent, it is good that consumers have control over what is shown on the homepage. It plays on the idea of mass communication and the concept of the MailOnline site creating the opportunity for people to have conversations/a say in what is shown. However, we should be worried as to how much control they have. For example, if readers are more concerned with soft news, then this will restrict the amount of information that the reader can get about more important/relevant topics like political updates etc.
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